Standardized Testing and Education

Hilary Osman

Table Of Contents

• “Standardized Tests Face a Crisis over Standards”– Summary– Review

• “How Standardized Testing Damages Education”– Summary– Review

• “The Myths of Standardized Testing”– Summary– Review

• Conclusion

“Standardized Tests Face a Crisis Over Standards”

Winerip’s article on Standardized testing describes the short falls of this type of assessment. He explains how reliant the U.S. is on standardized testing, and also how unregulated the testing industry is. Also, Winerip expresses his belief that these assessments are pressuring states to “dumb down” the tests.

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“Standardized Tests Face a Crisis Over Standards” con’t

The major example Winerip uses in this article is Connecticut. He explains how the No Child Left Behind legislation is hurting Connecticut’s way of testing. Instead of only multiple choice tests, Connecticut integrates essays into their exams. Winerip describes how this form of testing is more accurate than only multiple choice because it forces students to apply and evaluate knowledge versus just restating facts. NCLB has caused problems for Connecticut because it doesn’t allow for the extra financing for the grading of essay exams. NCLB also wouldn’t allow for Connecticut to administer these higher quality essay tests every other year to stay within their budget. Instead, lawmakers insisted that a lesser quality multiple choice exam be administered every year.

A Reflection of “Standardized Tests Face a Crisis Over Standards”

This article really made me think about how much NCLB legislation impacts our schools. I think administering tests that do not evaluate how well our students can apply their knowledge, but only how well they can regurgitate facts is not the way to track the performance of our students. I would much rather my child (or students) be tested less often with a test that shows how well they can evaluate and apply information. Most people can memorize bits of information, but true achievement is fully understanding that information and having the capability to apply it.

“How Standardized Testing Damages Education”

This article provided by Fairtest is very easy to understand with a question and answer format. The first question this article answers is how schools use standardized tests to evaluate students. Another question is asked, “Aren’t these valid uses of test scores?” Fairtest answers this by explaining that no test should be the “sole or primary basis for important educational decisions.” and explains the downsides of this type of testing. For example, Fairtest explains how Screening tests for disabilities are not always accurate. Fairtest also explains how low-income, minority groups suffer the most from these types of testing.

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“How Standardized Testing Damages Education” con’t

Fairtest once again describes the downsides of multiple-choice tests, stating that multiple –choice tests narrow the curriculum to cover only what is on the tests, as well as puts pressure on the teachers not to educate their students to the best of their ability, but to ensure they test well. Fairtest offers a solution to these problems by integrating essays and performance-based assessments, which is what other nations use. Also, these tests could be graded by a panel of trained judges. Fairtest’s article is a well supported article of opinion.

A Reflection of “How Standardized Testing Damages Education.”

Although I agree with a majority of this article, I think I would have appreciated it more had it incorporated more hard facts to support the opinions stated. There was also one point made that I did not entirely agree with. In response to the question “Aren’t these valid uses of test scores?”, Fairtest responds that Screening tests for disabilities “…promote a view of children as having deficits to be corrected rather than having individual differences and strengths on which to build.” It may be just they way this line was worded, but I do not entirely agree. While I do agree that students have individual differences and strengths, I do think that those students with deficits need the extra attention to have them corrected. For example, a student with a reading deficit can not be just categorized as “different”. This student may have strengths in math, but learning how to read must be addressed and not just pushed to the side. Overall, I agreed with this article.

“The Myths of Standardized Testing”This article begins with a series of

statements that the reader is supposed to determine whether they are true are false. A few examples are: “Students’ knowledge and skills can be assessed by a sample of content that makes up a 45-question test.” and “A standardized test score is a better reflection of student learning than any other form of assessment.” The article continues by stating that these statements are all myths of standardized testing. The majority of this article is a review of the book “The Myths of Standardized Tests: Why They Don’t Tell You What You Think They Do.”

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“The Myths of Standardized Testing” con’t

This article explains that lawmakers are focused on what standardized tests do measure, and not what these tests are lacking. For example, Strauss quotes Gerald Bracey in the areas that standardized test don’t measure, “” creativity, critical thinking, resilience, motivation, persistence, curiosity, endurance”” She also explains how not ensuring our students have these assets makes them “superficial-thinkers.” Strauss also focuses on the current administration and the legislation they have passed that goes along side NCLB. She explains how even though goals are being set to improve our children’s education, these goals are still rely on annual standardized testing which are inefficient.

A Reflection of “The Myths of Standardized Testing”

This article was very interesting to me. One quote particularly really struck me. “Studies of students of different ages have found a statistical association between students with high test scores on standardized tests and relatively shallow thinking.” I do not take this quote to heart because I have no seen this study, and an association does not mean fact. I do, however, find this statement interesting. If students with high test scores are shallow in thinking, then what about students with lower test scores? I do believe that creativity, critical thinking, compassion, among others should be taught in education. This attributes are not something a standardized test could ever truly measure.

All of these articles focus on the problems with the United States’ reliance on standardized testing. I believe that we as teachers need to do more to take the focus off of these tests and ensure students are educated in the areas they need to succeed. Although these tests are probably are going to be around for awhile, let us not let our students suffer for it. Students need to be able to apply their knowledge and not just memorize facts, and we as teachers can help them accomplish this.

Citation

Winerip, M. (2006). Standardized tests face a crisis over standards. The New York Times, Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/22/education/22education.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

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Citation

Fairtest. (2007, August 2007). How standardized testing damages education. Fair Test, Retrieved from http://fairtest.org/facts/howharm.htm

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Citation

Strauss, V. (2011, April 15). The myths of standardized testing. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answersheet/post/the_myths_of_standardized_testing/2011/04/14/AFNxTggD_blog.html?wprss=answer-sheet

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